Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026

Constructing Thioether/Vinyl Sulfide-tethered Helical Peptides Via Photo-induced Thiol-ene/yne Hydrothiolation
Published on: August 1, 2018
Coiled coil peptides as universal linkers for the attachment of recombinant proteins to polymer therapeutics
Michal Pechar1, Robert Pola, Richard Laga
1Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Heyrovskeho nam 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
Abstract:
We have designed, synthesized, and characterized peptides containing four repeats of the sequences VAALEKE (peptide E) or VAALKEK (peptide K). While the peptides alone adopt in aqueous solutions a random coil conformation, their equimolar mixture forms heterodimeric coiled coils as confirmed by CD spectroscopy. 5-Azidopentanoic acid was connected to the N-terminus of peptide E via a short poly(ethylene glycol) spacer. The terminal azide group enabled conjugation of the peptide with a synthetic drug carrier based on the N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide copolymer containing propargyl groups using "click" chemistry. When incorporated into the polymer drug carrier, peptide E formed a stable noncovalent complex with peptide K belonging to a recombinant single-chain fragment (scFv) of the M75 antibody. The complex thereby mediates a noncovalent linkage between the polymer drug carrier and the protein. The recombinant scFv antibody fragment was selected as a targeting ligand against carbonic anhydrase IX-a marker overexpressed by tumor cells of various human carcinomas. The antigen binding affinity of the polymer-scFv complex was confirmed by ELISA. This approach offers a well-defined, specific, and nondestructive universal method for the preparation of protein (antibody)-targeted polymer drug and gene carriers designed for cell-specific delivery.
Related Concept Videos
Peptide Bonds
Covalently Linked Protein Regulators
These groups modify specific amino acids in a protein.
Covalently Linked Protein Regulators
These groups modify specific amino acids in a protein.
Cytoskeletal Linker Proteins - Plakins
Ligand Binding and Linkage
Tagging and Fusion Proteins

